A good practice is a practice that is effective in addressing a given problem and/or in reaching a certain goal. A good practice provides sources of inspiration for others confronted with similar problems and/or aiming at reaching similar goals. 

The criteria for selecting good practices in implementing S3 in the field of Energy include 3 types of criteria:

1. Necessary Eligibility criteria (is the practice falling into the scope of the database?)
2. Necessary Relevance criteria (is the practice a good practice according to S3 fundamentals?)
3. Optional quality criteria (does the practice present remarkable features which are thought to enhance its effectiveness?)

Necessary eligibility criteria

• Part of S3: the topic is included (under) the smart specialisation domain(s) listed in the strategy;
• Use of ESIF for funding actions (in 2014-2020 period) under T01 (Strengthening research, technological development and innovation) and/or T04 (Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors) or To7e (Promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures);
• Implemented: i.e. not at design stage only.

Necessary relevance criteria

• Framed along the S3 concept: based on development and exploitation of critical mass of knowledge and economic activity in research organizations and companies in the region;
• Innovative character: presence of product, process, organizational, system innovation or also social innovation. Thus not mere application of well-known technologies or techniques; going beyond the regional state-of-the-art (adaptive innovation is valid);

• Minimum 3 out of 4 “pillars” of the quadruple helix involved: this refers to the involvement of research organisations, businesses, public authorities at various levels and civil society;
• Outcome-oriented: expected impacts are at least spelled out, possibly quantified and/or monitored. It includes a definition of success along various dimensions linked to S3 and energy strategy targets (economy, energy performance consumption / production / reduction / greening…, social…). Quantitative if possible otherwise qualitative.

Optional quality criteria

• Clear relevance to national and/or regional energy strategy: contributes to achieve goals set in those strategies, and is consistent with other programmes, projects and initiatives which are targeting the same goal;
• Interactions between responsible agencies and/or authorities from different domains (R&D&I and energy): as the case crosses over at least two policy domains, joint consideration is being given from the responsible bodies from the relevant fields;
• Synergetic use of several funds: public funding for the case makes smart use of various public funds, a.o. ESIF (including Interreg), H2020, EFSI, national, regional or local funding programmes…;
• Ambitious: it is not limited to a single one-off project but is an integrated bundle of activities with transformative ambition and high impact potential. It may be seen in many cases as a programme rather than as an individual project. It is characterized as multi-sector/multi-activity (a.o. technology development, training, awareness-raising, capacity building, infrastructure, trade…);
• Inter-regional cooperation dimension: it has linkages with actors in other regions or countries in order to increase its effectiveness;
• Leading to private investments: it creates a leverage effect on private funds by incorporating businesses;
• Sustainability beyond funding period: it is not overly dependent on public funding and includes, when relevant, a strategy for continuation beyond the public subsidy period;
• Transferability of the practice: it draws lessons from implementation and disentangles the specific context conditions in view of the uptake of lessons by other regions/countries ;
• Including a monitoring system: a systematic (and systemic when relevant) review of results and outcomes achieved is present along with the deployment of the practice, with a view of drawing lessons for the future.